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Overview

This Science specification is part of the linked Twenty First Century Science Suite of specifications: Science A, Additional Science A, Additional Applied Science A, Biology A, Chemistry A and Physics A. This linked suite allows Centres maximum flexibility in the delivery of GCSE courses in Science and the separate Sciences.

The content of this suite is based on a project devised by the University of York Science Education Group (UYSEG) as part of a QCA project on Science in the 21st Century.

Centres piloting GCSE Science, GCSE Additional Science and GCSE Additional Applied Science have helped the development of this specification. OCR is the only awarding body to have piloted any of the new GCSE Sciences.

GCSE Science A has an emphasis on scientific literacy - the knowledge and understanding which students need to engage as informed citizens with science-based issues.

This specification is designed as the primary Science qualification for all candidates at KS4. The course is designed to enable candidates to:

• Recognise the impact of Science and technology on everyday life
• Make informed personal decisions about issues and questions that involve science
• Understand and reflect on the information included in (or omitted from) media reports and other sources of information

To achieve this, candidates must have a broad understanding of the main scientific concepts that provide a framework for making sense of the world. These are referred to as 'Science Explanations'.

Candidates also need to be able to reflect on scientific knowledge itself, the practices that have produced it, the kinds of reasoning that are used in developing a scientific argument, and the issues that arise when scientific knowledge is put to practical use. These are referred to as 'Ideas about Science'.

Together, the Science Explanations and Ideas about Science cover the KS4 Programme of Study for Science.

This specification comprises nine teaching modules which are assessed through five Units. The first three Units, each worth 16.7% of the total GCSE marks, use objective questions to assess knowledge and understanding of the specification content, and application of that knowledge and understanding. The fourth Unit, also worth 16.7% uses structured questions to assess Ideas about Science in familiar and unfamiliar contexts. The final Skills Assessment Unit (33.3%) comprises a practical data analysis and a case study. This Unit is assessed by teachers, internally standardised and then externally moderated by OCR.

Alternatively, candidates can also achieve GCSE Science A by taking Unit 1 from each of J633 Biology A (A221), J634 Chemistry A (A321) and J635 Physics A (A331) plus Units 4 and 5 from this specification.

Candidates taking GCSE Science with GCSE Additional Science (or Additional Applied Science), or GCSE Biology, GCSE Chemistry and GCSE Physics, will have the experience necessary to progress to appropriate level 3 qualifications.

This suite is supported by The Nuffield Curriculum Centre and The University of York Science Education Group.